The washback of the ethiopian national english examination (Enee) for grade 10 on students’ practice: debre markos secondary schools on focus

Abstract

—This study was intended to examine the washback of the General Secondary School English Exam on students’ practice. The study was conducted at three secondary schools in Debre Markos Town. 270 Grades 9 and 10 students were included. Questionnaire, focus group discussion (FGD), exam paper anal ysis and classroom observation were employed. The questionnaire data were analysed with mean per cent and multiple regression analysis. Whereas, the FGD data and observation data collected with field notes were analysed qualitatively. The content of two years national exam was analysed with percentage. The result revealed students were found practising mainly grammar and technical aspects of writing and speaking disregarding using their textbook in their practice. The factors mediated were students’ ambition for success in the exam, awareness of the exam and teachers’ exam-oriented teaching. Therefore, the washback of the exam negatively affected the successful implementation of the communicative syllabi.